I am able to offer a choice of how you participate in your initial consultation and hypnotherapy sessions: either by attending my hypnotherapy practice in Lydbrook in person, or virtually, via the online platform Zoom. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss these options or if you have any questions.

Like many people I have been waiting for the day when I could welcome you back into my therapy room in person. I know that day is just around the corner, but until it is safe to do so, I have brought my therapy room into the video-calling world and am happy to be able to offer therapy sessions online via Zoom. Please do get in touch if you would like to know more.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic I am unable to take on any new clients at this time.

As a registered practitioner, I adhere to, and am bound by, the Codes of Conduct, Performance & Ethics of my professional organisations, an example of which states that:

CC-S1. You must always act in the best interests of your clients and service users
You are personally responsible for making sure that you promote and protect the best interests of the people you care for at all times and do not do anything, or allow anything to be done, that you have good reason to believe will put the health and/or safety of a client in danger. This includes both your own actions and those of other practitioners and/or health and social care professionals. […]

Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) Code of Conduct, Performance & Ethics (V2.1-06-11-2019)

I am closely following the evolving COVID-19 regulations from government and my professional organisations and governing bodies, as well as from my insurance company, some of which are included here:

As of 1st June 2020 the governments of England, Wales and Scotland have eased lockdown to varying degrees. As it stands at present, there have been no changes in any of the government regulations providing direct authority for hypnotherapists to return to in person sessions. […]

National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) Covid-19 guidance for members (Updated by NMC June 2nd 2020)

 

Following yesterday afternoon’s Government press briefing (28 May), our advice that CNHC Registrants cannot yet return to practising face to face still stands. […]

Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) Covid-19 guidance for Registrants (Updated by CNHC June 5th 2020)

 

Coronavirus: Which guidelines apply?
[…] We cannot insure you to work outside of your Government’s guidelines.
Coronavirus: Am I insured to work?
We cannot advise you to work outside of the Government’s social distancing policy. If you are unable to adhere to this you should not work. […]

Holistic Insurance (See: https://www.holisticinsurance.co.uk/faq/. Accessed 6th June 2020)

I am so sorry that I am unable to help you at this time and will keep you undated as and when the situation changes.

Spring has arrived – or is arriving as I type – and this time of year galvanises many people into action after the quiet wintertime.

It galvanised me into getting a new ‘Bio Video’ made for me – look out for it on my website.

https://hypnity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/michele-wardall-bio.mp4

“I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was.”

Muhammed Ali (1942-2016)

I can picture him saying that, with a twinkle in his eye and a twitch of his lips as he waits for the audience’s chuckle in response. A philosopher, a wit, and a wise man, it seems, as we now know from modern brain research what he knew instinctively: that our brain cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality, so if you say it is so, then it will believe it is so.

This means if we negatively forecast the future or negatively introspect about the past, the brain will think it is really happening, and will move into the primitive survival-mode of flight, flight or freeze. And because it is in survival-mode it will encourage us to continue to think negatively about a situation because it wants to trigger our survival response of getting out of there in a hurry. This can tip us into a downward spiral of depression, anxiety or anger, or a combination of all three – all are primitive op-out clauses. And because we continue in this negative process we find it difficult to come up with solutions, so we stay angry, depressed or anxious.

Powerful things, thoughts! Muhammed Ali knew it, and we do, too. Sensible to make our words, thoughts and beliefs of a positive nature then, because our brain will believe us.

So this year, why not resolve to tell yourself that life is great, even before you know it is?

Wishing you a Happy New Year, and a warm welcome to 2018.

It’s going to be great!

There is an open public consultation (closing noon 2nd March 2018) for the government’s green paper on children and young people’s mental health. Everyone can go online and have their say in how, when and where they want services to be available. The video below is from the Department of Health website:

Available at:  https://engage.dh.gov.uk/youngmentalhealth/?utm_campaign=533268_Children%20and%20Young%20people%20MH%20GP%20Launch&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Department%20of%20Health&dm_i=3ZQO%2CBFH0%2C26E1M4%2C16IOM%2C1    (Accessed 04/12/2-17)

Have your say on children and young people’s mental health

Improving support for children and young people’s mental health is a top priority for this government. This green paper on children and young people’s mental health aims to ensure that those who need it are able to access the right help for their mental health, in the right place and at the right time. It focuses on earlier intervention and prevention, particularly in or linked to schools and colleges.

We welcome all responses to the consultation including from those who have experience of mental ill-health or know someone close to them who has such experience. The consultation focuses on how the proposals in the green paper will be implemented.

This consultation has 21 questions. However, you do not have to answer all of them. Only answer those questions you want to or those which are relevant to you.

You can save your responses and return to complete the survey at any time. The survey will be open for 13 weeks, in alignment with Cabinet Office guidance, and will close at noon on 2 March 2018.

Available at: https://engage.dh.gov.uk/youngmentalhealth/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-consultation/ (Accessed 04/12/2-17)

You can read all their proposals to transform children and young people’s mental health provision on the DH website and have your say in this important consultation.

Let’s get involved.

An Autobiography in Five Chapters

Today, 10th October, is World mental Health Day. This year the topic is Mental Health in the Workplace, and the following is an extract from The World Health Organization (WHO) website:

Mental health in the workplace

During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity.

Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.

Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.

World Mental Health Day – 10 October

Available from: http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2017/en/ (Accessed 10th October 2017)

On a recent hypnotherapy training weekend over at CPHT in Bristol, one of our lecturers was Glenn Catley, former WBC Super Middleweight Champion of the World.

The reason he was there was because he won that title by having Solution Focused Hypnotherapy with a man called David Newton – the same gentleman who trained me. Then, when Glenn retired from boxing, he trained to be a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist at my training school, the Clifton Practice in Bristol.

Glenn is a great speaker, funny and entertaining.  He talked about David Newton being his inspiration and credits his sports successes to hypnotherapy, saying it changed his life, improving mental strength, boosting confidence, motivation and focus and that it’s one of the most successful treatments for some of life’s biggest problems, and used by lots of sports personalities.

And I’m certainly not going to argue with him about that….